The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-306012 filed on Oct. 2, 2001 including the specification, drawings and abstract is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a hood airbag assembly, and more specifically, to a hood airbag assembly including an airbag which is inflated and deployed over a hood of a vehicle such as a motor vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
A hood airbag device having an airbag which is inflated and deployed over a hood of a vehicle such as a motor vehicle is known.
In the hood airbag device as shown in FIG. 6, an airbag 102 is adapted to be inflated and deployed over a surface of an engine hood 104 by gas generated by an inflator 100. An opening 106 is formed in a predetermined position of the hood 104, and the inflator 100 and the airbag 102 are stored in the space below the opening 106. A backup plate 108 which is open toward the surface of the hood 104 is disposed and provided over the opening 106. A lid 110 which covers the opening end of the backup plate 108 is mounted on the backup plate 108 by folding circumferential portions thereof and engaging it with the edge portion of the opening of the backup plate 108, such that the lid 110 can be deployed to a position shown by the chain double-dashed line.
In the conventional type of the hood airbag device, the backup plate 108, at which the inflator 100 and the airbag 102 are placed, is disposed substantially horizontally. In the aforementioned arrangement, rain water and the like is likely to accumulate around the backup plate 108, deteriorating waterproof performance of the airbag case. The lid 110 is engaged with the end of the backup plate 108 at the opening 106 so as to cover the opening of the backup plate 108 in which the inflator 100 and the airbag 102 are stored. As the lid 110 partially forms a surface of the hood 104, the severe requirement of clearance around the lid 110 may hinder the airbag case from being mounted in a good condition.
It is an object of the invention to provide a hood airbag device with improved waterproof characteristics and assembly.
In an embodiment of the invention, a hood airbag device includes an airbag case that stores an airbag. The airbag case is mounted within a hood of a vehicle at a location close to an engine compartment of a vehicle. The hood airbag device further includes a door member that is opened upon deployment of the airbag stored in the airbag case. The door member is disposed over an opening formed in the hood on a rear side of the airbag case as viewed in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle.
Because the airbag case storing the airbag is provided at a location close to the engine compartment, rain water and the like is less likely to accumulate in a portion around the airbag case, resulting in improved waterproof characteristics. The door member is provided over the opening formed in the hood on a rear side of the airbag case as viewed in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Accordingly the position where the door member is provided is not influenced by an operation for mounting the airbag case in the hood. This makes it possible to position the door member with respect to the hood easily, resulting in easier assembly.
In the embodiment, a plurality of air intake holes are formed in the door member.
Because air holes are formed in the door member, there is no need to form air holes in the cowl box of the vehicle. Accordingly there is an increased degree of freedom in designing the cowl box and peripheral parts.